The Twins meet Their Match:The Duo
by eptolyn
Summary: Twinfic! Smith deleted, Neo's not getting any stronger while the Matrix is. Main problem:the Twins. Neo and co. create their own programs to help them fight, but something goes wrong...or right...
1. Problem and Solution

Hi hi. This is my first fic, so it may be kinda crappy and I don't expect anyone to review. Just read it anywayz. One more thing, you must know that I'm obsessed with the Matrix, or to be more specific, the Twins. I can also use pretty bad language at times, but if you're gonna be reading my fics, ya might as well get used to it.  
  
Disclaimer: Whatever doesn't belong to me, I don't own. I own everything else (which actually isn't much).  
  
PG13- May be some bad words in the later chapters and a limited amount of romance. #_^  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The Twins Versus the Duo  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The Problem and a Possible Solution  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Neo sat up in the loading chair. Morpheus, Trinity and Link stood around him with a puzzled frown on their faces. "Let's go to my cabin." Morpheus said. Neo heavily heaved himself up from the loading chair and followed everyone else.  
  
~  
  
Trinity: (concerned) What happened in there?  
  
Neo: The Matrix is getting stronger.  
  
Trinity: But then wouldn't you be as well?  
  
Neo: The Architect managed to delete Smith and the copies so that I wouldn't become anymore powerful together with the Matrix, Smith being my link to the inner Matrix system.  
  
Morpheus: Then we got a problem. Big problem. If The One isn't strong enough to deliver us from the Matrix, then the prophecy is inaccurate and there is no more hope for the human race.  
  
Neo: ... ...The Twins and the Merovingian. I never thought that I would ever say this, but...it's impossible.  
  
Trinity: The Merovingian doesn't fight you. Well, not directly anyway.  
  
Neo: He is in charge of the Twins.  
  
Morpheus: Yes, but your current problem is the Twins and whoever else that gets locked in physical combat with you.  
  
Neo: It's mainly the Twins and that thing with their phasing.  
  
Link: Can't you launch a surprise attack and kill them in one shot?  
  
Trinity: And how's he supposed to do that?  
  
Link: Hack off their heads?  
  
Neo: They watch out for each other and when they phase everything can just pass through them, or vice versa.  
  
Morpheus: And even if he succeeded in doing that, the Merovingian can always recreate them.  
  
Trinity: Wait.  
  
She smiled as she put her idea into words.  
  
Trinity: How about fighting fire with fire, or in this case, program with program?  
  
Neo gasped as he realized what she was saying.  
  
Neo: Why didn't I think of it before? Trinity you're a genius. Link, you know what she means right?  
  
Link nodded.  
  
Neo: Hack into the Matrix as far as you can and program the very solution to the defeat of the Twins. Got it?  
  
Link: Yup, but first I would like to say that Trinity is all of beautiful, talented and smart, so it's no wonder that you fell in love with her.  
  
Trinity and Neo: LINK!!!  
  
Link: (sing-song tone) See what I mean? You two even say the same thing at the same time.  
  
Morpheus sighed. What a typical meeting.  
  
Trinity: Link, shut up and go do it.  
  
Link walked off, loudly (and very out of tune) singing a love song from the 1970s.  
  
~Three hours later~  
  
Link: I can't penetrate any deeper Neo.  
  
Neo: Sure?  
  
Link: Uh huh.  
  
Trinity: So what's the best program you can create at this stage?  
  
Link: I figured that the opposite of the Twins would be the best.  
  
Trinity: And that would be?  
  
Link: Two girls-  
  
Neo: GIRLS?!  
  
Link: Uh... yeah... like I said, the opposite of everything the Twins are would be the best.  
  
Trinity: (Mocking look on her face) And us females use our brains as well, not just brute force.  
  
Link: As I was saying, two girls – main color 'theme' is black – as in clothes. You know, the way the Twins are white, except these two will have normal skin.  
  
Morpheus: There's more right?  
  
Link: Lot's more.  
  
Neo buried his head in his hands. This was going to take ages.  
  
Link: And the girls-  
  
Neo: Hang on. Girls? Meaning kids?  
  
Link: Opposite of the Twins.  
  
Neo turned to Trinity.  
  
Neo: What about you? You think it's gonna work this way?  
  
All eyes were focused on Trinity as she made her decision.  
  
Trinity: Everyone stop staring at me! Okay, okay. It may work-  
  
Neo: WHAT?! Are you out of your min-  
  
Trinity: LET ME FINISH!  
  
Neo stopped shouting and stood there with his mouth still open, shocked at this sudden outburst. Trinity took a deep breath and calmed herself down.  
  
Trinity: Neo, close your mouth. You look like some kind of flytrap. All right, maybe as children it might and probably will be quite a disaster, while as adults, well I don't fare too well against the Twins, and that way we wouldn't have opposites anymore.  
  
Link: So you're saying that something in between is good?  
  
Trinity rolled her eyes. "Yes Link."  
  
Neo: Fine with me. So now we have female teen-agers dressed in black. Next?  
  
Link: Shades versus no shades.  
  
Morpheus: How's that supposed to help them?  
  
Link: They can probably see clearer.  
  
"But that way they'll ruin our 'basic costume plan'." Neo whined.  
  
Trinity: We aren't concerned with that right now Neo.  
  
Neo started pouting.  
  
Link: Erm... can I continue?  
  
Trinity: Yeah. * sigh * Go ahead Link.  
  
Link: Hairstyle: Twins- long white dreadlocks, these two- short black normal hair.  
  
Neo cheered up when he heard this.  
  
Morpheus: And what are the advantages here?  
  
"Less messy?" Link said uncertainly.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Trinity: And you managed to get Neo out of his silent kiddy tantrum.  
  
But now Neo was going overboard.  
  
"Are they going to be dressed like Trinity as well?" Neo asked hopefully. "Black, shiny, tight, you know the sort."  
  
Trinity: NEO!!!  
  
"There goes a happy pair..." Link quietly sang.  
  
Morpheus: Powers? Abilities?  
  
Link: This part can't be too opposite, cause if it was, these two instead of healing themselves , like when the Twins phase, they would-  
  
Neo: I get it! I get it! You don't have to explain everything in such nitpicking detail! We weren't born just yesterday you know!  
  
Link: Sorry, but I thought that in case you didn't notice these things, there might be a misunderstanding and then-  
  
Neo: There you go again!  
  
Trinity: Break it up you two. Link, will we be able to recreate them if um...something unfortunate happens?  
  
Link: A very slim chance. The Matrix is rapidly getting stronger and it's very likely that before anything happens to 'our twins'-  
  
Neo: So they are twins. Okay, but aren't they supposed to be the opposite of the Merovingian's Twins?  
  
Link: Like I said, the Matrix is getting stronger and I could only go deep enough to create one basic template and two separate programs.  
  
Morpheus: Excuse me, what about the question I asked earlier?  
  
Link: Hang on. I haven't finished explaining to Neo yet. The Matrix is updating and improving really quick and it's almost a sure bet that before any thing happens to these two, the Matrix would have become immune to our hacking.  
  
Trinity: Bummer. But if it's the best we can do * shrug * it's the best we can do.  
  
Morpheus: Hey! Does anyone here even know of my existence?  
  
Link: Sorry Sir.  
  
Morpheus: Well then, what are their abilities?  
  
Trinity: And their personalities?  
  
Morpheus: Link, my question first. I've waited too long for an answer already.  
  
Link: Yes Sir. They can trans- short for transform –into darkness. As in when they're in the cover of a shadow and trans, they blend in, not camouflage, but become invisible. If they want to, I mean. They won't automatically become invisible.  
  
Morpheus: And when they're not in the shadows?  
  
Link: They sorta become silhouettes of their other beings, but remain three- dimensional. They'll also be like the Merovingian's Twins when it comes down to being like some kind of ghost.  
  
Trinity: Won't they be like the rest of us? I mean, yeah, they can trans and become 'non-touchable', but the Twins can do that too, so it won't help.  
  
Link: No worries. If the Twins phase and these two trans, they'll be able to continue fighting as if they were in their solid state, though no one else will be able to come into 'physical contact' with them. You guys get the drift of it, right?  
  
Neo: More than just the drift.  
  
Morpheus: Health and status restoration percentage?  
  
Link: Hundred percent. They'll be as good as new once they trans, regardless of how bunged up they were previously.  
  
Trinity: What are they skilled in?  
  
Link: Gymnastics, karate, and very skilled in using other weapons, especially things like razors and blades. And I forgot to mention that they can go anywhere shadows fall when they trans, even up to the mountaintops or the bottom of the deep blue sea, if there are shadows there, that is.  
  
Morpheus: Won't they be able to go anywhere unseen when they trans then?  
  
Link: Don't confuse shadows with plain old low light intensity.  
  
Trinity: What are they equipped with?  
  
Link: I can only manage to equip them with a starting out set of one switchblade, a razor, and a pair of those wha'cha might call it, ninja daggers?each.  
  
Trinity: Personalities?  
  
Link: One will be more aggressive while the other not so-  
  
Neo: Didn't you say that you could only manage to create one basic design?  
  
Link: You heard right. I said I could only create one basic design. Their personalities will be like a pair of normal twins: one dominant twin who is probably more mature and stuff like that. Ever heard the Merovingian's Twins quarrel before?  
  
Neo: You have?  
  
Link: It's my favorite pastime. When I have nothing to do I like to sit here in front of the screen and watch them argue. It's quite interesting really.  
  
Neo: Who usually wins?  
  
Link: One.  
  
Neo: I know that. Not both of them can win.  
  
Link: I mean Twin One. That's one of the twin's names.  
  
Neo: Oh yeah. I forgot.  
  
Neo: How do you know who is who?  
  
Link: Two is the crazy and more hyper twin and he usually loses in their brother arguments.  
  
Trinity: Sounds more like you're describing Neo.  
  
Neo: Trinity, you're just full of rubbi-  
  
Trinity: SHUT YOUR BIG STUPID MOUTH!!!  
  
Neo immediately did as he was told. Trinity flashed him a triumphant smile.  
  
Trinity: There you go Link. A perfect example.  
  
Link: Can I create them now?  
  
Morpheus: You haven't told us how they're dressed yet.  
  
Link: Can you all go into the Matrix and see for yourselves once I've created them? I'm getting a severe case of migraine here with all this explaining.  
  
Neo: It's your own fault for being so long-winded.  
  
Link: Sorry. You know, everyone is different, so you can't really blame me for being like this. It's just the way I am. I can't help it if I'm naturally like this. No one is perfect, you know that. And so I end by saying: I am who I am, and that's all that I am.  
  
Trinity: Well that 'all' that you are is quite a lot.  
  
'I think Link just discovered a new, easy and free way of curing migraine,' Neo thought to himself. 'Just give some one else a headache.' He groaned. Why oh why did Morpheus have to choose Link of all the people there were to be their operator?  
  
Link: So can I create them now? Everything's fine, right?  
  
'No. Everything is not fine,' Neo said to himself. 'But the problem is not the program; it's you, Link, you and that motor-mouth of yours.' Of course he didn't dare say that out loud. He knew that if he did, Trinity was sure to murder him, so what he did say (together with Trinity and Morpheus) was "Great, it's perfect."  
  
Link smiled with satisfaction. Finally the long interrogation-like process of answering everyone's multiple questions was over.  
  
Link: So now I create them?  
  
Everyone else: Yes.  
  
Link fiddled around with a few keys and pressed 'enter'.  
  
A masterpiece had been created.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Yeah, yeah, I know that wuz boring. But I don't care. I just like writing. I apologize for any spelling, grammatical or whatsoever mistakes I made in there. (I hope there aren't any.)  
  
My typing is real slow, so I'll probably take a few centuries to upload another chapter. Also with me having to write this stuff in school when I don't wanna do my work, it takes quite a long time. Bai for now! 


	2. Introduce and Equip

I have nothing to say right now except this and: Enjoy this chapter.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Introduce and Equip  
  
. . . . .  
  
"I'm in." Neo said to the operator on the other end of the line via his cell phone.  
  
"Are they there?"  
  
"Yes. Just in front of me."  
  
"Great. Over and out."  
  
Neo shut the phone with a click.  
  
He stared at the two identical figures standing a few meters in front of him, looking around at their new surroundings. Straightening his coat he walked up to them.  
  
"Hi, I'm Neo."  
  
"Yes. The One, right?"  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"It's in our programming. We know quite a bit. Including the fact that you created us; at least not directly."  
  
"So... what are your names?"  
  
"Alpha."  
  
"Omega."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
Neo slowly shook his head.  
  
"You are so smart, aren't you?" Alpha said sarcastically.  
  
"Her name, Alpha, means the first letter in the alphabet. That's where it got its name from as a matter of fact. Mine, Omega, means the last letter of the alphabet. Get it?"  
  
"Yeah. How old are the two of you supposed to be?"  
  
"God. You know we have just been created. Our programming is brand new."  
  
"I mean how old are you on the outside?"  
  
"Fifteen."  
  
"Our appearance will stop aging once we get to twenty-four; our programming will only be nine years old then."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Neo looked the pair- Duo- over.  
  
They had jet-black shoulder length hair, which was arranged into five vertical 'fins' at the top and gradually flattened out to join the smoothness of the rest of their hair.  
  
On each cheek a dark blue line traveled from the inner corner of the eye out to the top of the jawbone. From the same starting point was another line of the same color, which moved downwards and ended at the corner of the jaw line. In the middle of the space between the two lines that formed a half-crescent was a 'V', tip touching the lower lines and upper ends merging with the streak on top.  
  
Around each of their necks was a black leather band from which all around protruded sharp metal studs.  
  
They had an average neckline and sleeves, which came down to just above the elbow and converged with their gloves. The thick, strong and shiny nylon encasing the lower arm had a single, curved, wicked looking and extremely lethal blade sticking out from the outer side.  
  
The fingers of their gloves had slits in the tips, allowing the sharp metal tips of their fingernails to protrude.  
  
Their pant legs fitted into their semi-leather, semi-synthetic ankle-high boots.  
  
The tight fitting, shiny clothes had the effect of making them look like quicksilver, beauty flowing with each movement they made.  
  
Only one thing seemed to be missing...  
  
"Where are your weapons?" Neo asked.  
  
Alpha flicked her arm backwards with a small snapping sound. When she brought her arm back up again it held a dagger.  
  
"We can do that to any object that we dematerialize earlier. Objects. Not people. We can have with us up to the equivalent mass of a Boeing 747 , maximum number of passengers and crew onboard, fully loaded with luggage and everything the plane would normally hold."  
  
She waved the hand holding the dagger and it disappeared.  
  
"You'll have to be careful on how you move around, aren't you?" Neo said. "Otherwise your things are going to keep appearing and disappearing."  
  
Omega turned to her sister. "This man has no brain."  
  
Going up to Neo she yelled in his face, "It's in our mind whether we want our things to appear or disappear! Those movements are just so that we can drop into a fighting stance at the same time!"  
  
"Okay! Okay! It's not really my fault if I don't understand you!"  
  
"I seriously cannot believe he is the One."  
  
"Never mind him. I want to see what weapons we've been given."  
  
Alpha opened her hand and a switchblade, a razor, and a pair of ninja daggers appeared in it. She carefully examined each one, running her finger down the sharp edges and testing their balance by throwing them at a wooden bench nearby.  
  
"Good quality," Alpha commented as she walked over to the bench and retrieved her weapons. "But such a pitiful collection."  
  
"Yes, indeed." Omega said, nodding her head in agreement. "Only four weapons in total."  
  
"That was all we could give you..."  
  
"Where are we going to live?"  
  
"And what about finance?"  
  
"We didn't think of that..." Neo began. He was interrupted as his cell phone rang.  
  
"Operator." Said Link's voice when Neo picked up.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've been watching your conversation and I have just created a house for them."  
  
"Wonderful. Where is it?"  
  
"Western side of the city; 47 Efil road. Not far from where you are."  
  
"They're asking about finance too."  
  
"Hang on, I'll do a quick hack..."  
  
Neo waited, without hanging up the phone, wondering if Link was doing/ going to do what he expected/ was expecting.  
  
"Okay. Now ask them to try and conjure up a few bank notes."  
  
'I was right, as usual' Neo thought to himself.  
  
Neo forced himself to stop flattering himself by thinking 'But then again, Link is so predictable.' before asking the Duo to do what Link had said.  
  
It worked.  
  
"Now they're happy." Neo said back to Link.  
  
"Good. Tell them that they can do that to gain as much money as they want; they'll have to buy their own furniture for the house, but the plumbing and electricity will be automatically fixed up the instant they're happy with the arrangement. Over and out."  
  
Neo clicked his phone shut and told the Duo about their unlimited cash and the house.  
  
"Let's go now, sis." Omega said, turning to leave.  
  
"It's near but it's not walking distance you know." Neo said.  
  
The Duo double-stared at him with a 'your head is emptier than we thought' look.  
  
"Who's going to walk when you can fly?"  
  
"No no no." Neo started to back away. "I'm not going to have the both of you sitting on my back while I fly. No way."  
  
"Idiot you." Alpha said, clearly annoyed. "You can play Superman and fly to our house. We can trans and follow the shadows around us."  
  
Neo, seeing that he was not about to be used by the Duo as a mode of transportation, said, "Okay. You know the address, I'll meet you there."  
  
He crouched down into his launching position, one hand upwards in a fist, the other behind his back.  
  
His bending of the code caused the cement floor to ripple in concentric circles around him just before he leapt upwards and disappeared into the clouds.  
  
"Let's race him there shall we?" Omega challenged her sister.  
  
"I'm game if you are."  
  
"Now."  
  
They walked into the shadow cast by a wall and transed, immediately vanishing.  
  
~ @ ~  
  
Neo landed on the pavement with a dull thud. He stood up and looked in at the window of the house he was standing next to. This couldn't possibly have been the right house? It was fully furnished and he had only taken about thirty seconds to fly there. And by the way, he never landed at the wrong place . . . he was never wrong. . . "Can't hurt to check the house number. . ."  
  
Neo walked round to the front of the house.  
  
"This is the right house?" Neo mumbled to himself.  
  
"Yes, it is." said a voice from behind him.  
  
Neo spun around.  
  
It was one of the Duo. Alpha or Omega he couldn't tell.  
  
"How did you do up the house so fast?" Neo asked in amazement. "Link said he only gave you an empty shell of a house."  
  
"Ohhh...we're faster than you think..."  
  
"Than you could imagine..."  
  
Neo looked over his shoulder and saw the other twin standing in the doorway.  
  
"Never mind Neo." The twin that had greeted him first said as she walked past him and into the house.  
  
"Come on in." the other invited.  
  
The door was closed behind Neo as he stepped into the living room. The first thought that entered his mind when he saw that almost everything was either black or silver, was 'How did Link program these two?'  
  
Although Neo was not in the least claustrophobic, all the lights in the house were on and none of the curtains were drawn, the walls still seemed to be closing in on him.  
  
"Um . . . you two?" Neo said, eyes darting around the room in search of the Duo. "Did you have to make everything black? I'm starting to feel rather uncomfortable here..."  
  
"Alright..." came the two toned echoing reply from... somewhere...everywhere...  
  
Neo watched, transfixed, as the dark gloominess of the black walls shrunk down into a patch behind him, melting into his own shadow. He turned around and watched as his shadow began to rise up from the floor. It stood erect at the same height as...  
  
It materialized.  
  
"Alpha?" Neo said in shock when he saw who was now standing in front of him.  
  
"Lucky guess." she replied.  
  
"What the- how did you-"  
  
"We can take any shape we want while we're in that state because we won't have mass."  
  
"Oh...okay..."Neo looked at the walls again. They were now an aquamarine blue. Much better. "But if you like black so much then why didn't you just paint the walls black?"  
  
"Because we expected that other people might not like it. And the other color that we like apart from black and silver is this." Alpha waved at the surrounding blue. "What we did just now was only to see if black walls would look good. And it did, but you didn't like it, so this is perfectly fine."  
  
Omega came walking down the stairs. "Blue's much better huh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Now that that's settled we can go."  
  
"Go where?" asked Neo.  
  
"To buy more weapons. You can stay here and watch television in the room over there if you want." Before Neo had time to say anything else, the Duo transed through the front door and headed down the street.  
  
"Oh well, at least they got cable television." Neo said to himself as he walked into the next room, plopped himself down on the sofa in front of the T.V., took the remote control in his hand and started flipping channels.  
  
~ @ ~  
  
"I want to buy this one." Omega said, fingering a knife with a wavy edged blade. "What do you think of it?"  
  
"Let me see?"  
  
Omega tossed the knife to Alpha who identified it as something called a Kris.  
  
"Take it. It's a good weapon." Alpha said as she handed the knife back to Omega. "And what do you think of this?" She held up the two ends of a metal chain of medium thickness, which had jagged blades attached to it at regular intervals. Lowering it into one of her hands, the 'death snake' as a label indicated, lay coiled up like what its name suggested, as if awaiting orders to kill.  
  
"Should come in handy." came the distracted reply. Alpha glanced over to her sister.  
  
Omega was holding a 'life cutter'.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
A chain joined what seemed to be two pods, but were actually casings for the seven blades hidden inside each of them.  
  
"And what does that do?"  
  
"I'll try it out." Omega said. She held one of the pods and flung the life cutter outwards at a corkboard, an estimated twenty meters away, specially there for that purpose.  
  
The instant the weapon left her hand, the two pods/casings moved in towards the middle of the chain and snapped together, pulling the ends of the chains closer to each other. The blades, now free to move, fanned out and the four at the sides interlocked, forming a deadly, spinning metal flower. It hit- no...cut through the five-inch thick corkboard and made a deep gash in the concrete wall behind...and stuck there. The whole procedure took no more than one-and-a-half seconds.  
  
"Nice." they both smiled simultaneously.  
  
"I'll buy it. . ." Omega said walking over to the cutter. ". . .after I get it out of the wall."  
  
Alpha laughed a little, but her attention was more focused on the contents of a black box with the engraving of a six-pointed star on the lid.  
  
Omega easily yanked the cutter out of the wall. She held the two halves/sets of blades joined together and twisted them in opposite directions. They came apart and folded back under the top blade on each side. She did the same to the pods and pushed them outwards with a click to cover the blades again. Satisfied, Omega slung the now 'lengthened' cutter over her shoulder and materialized the Kris.  
  
Alpha had finished selecting what she wanted and was already at the cashier's counter. Omega joined her.  
  
"What are you buying?"  
  
"The Death Snake and these ninja stars." Alpha said taking the black box out of the plastic bag and opening it to show Omega. "You?"  
  
"The Kris and the Life Cutter."  
  
"Wonderful."  
  
"That would be US$1, 854." said the scruffy cashier.  
  
Alpha, hardly noticing the amount (didn't they have an unlimited supply of cash?), materialized a five thousand dollar bill behind her back. She slapped it onto the counter, grabbed the bags containing their purchases and walked out of the store- to join Omega who was impatiently tapping her foot outside- saying, "Keep the change."  
  
The cashier stared after them, wondering if they knew that they had given him an extra US3, 146. In the end he decided that a 'little' extra cash wouldn't hurt.  
  
Outside, Alpha and Omega happily took their new things out of the bag, dematerialized them and discarded the plastic bags before transing and heading back home.  
  
~ @ ~  
  
"Neo! We're back!" Omega called as she stepped into the house.  
  
Neo switched off the television and went out into the living room.  
  
"You didn't buy anything, did you?" Neo asked when he saw that they weren't holding any bags.  
  
"Just to remind you, we can make things disappear."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"So what did you buy?"  
  
"These." the Duo said at the same time, holding out the items in question. They let Neo take them and have a good look at them.  
  
"You do know what you are supposed to do with these, right?"  
  
"Eliminate the Twins. The Merovingian's bodyguards." They both said, suddenly sounding very dutiful.  
  
"You know where to find them?"  
  
"Of course. The Chateau."  
  
"I suggest you find out what their weaknesses and strengths are first, although I can't stop you if you want to use your own strategy."  
  
"What you say sounds the best. We'll do it that way."  
  
"So you are clear on everything? No questions?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Perfect. So do your duty, okay? I'll be leaving now. I know where there is a payphone." With that, Neo walked out of the house, fully trusting the Duo to accomplish what he couldn't. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Yay! Finally done with this chapter! And thanks for the reviews! 


	3. First Encounter

Sorry I haven't updated for ages. I don't have an internet connection up yet here in Thailand because my family just relocated here and . . . ah well, it's a long story, so I won't waste any more of your time explaining. Instead, let's see what I can think up. . .  
  
First Encounter  
  
: .: . : . : . : .: . : . : .  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"I want to go with them to see how they do."  
  
"But only if they can fit you into their strategy, Trinity."  
  
"I know."  
  
Everyone looked at Alpha and Omega.  
  
"Any plan yet, you two?"  
  
The Duo looked up at Neo.  
  
"Why don't all of you go as well?"  
  
"Do you need us?"  
  
"Not if we plan this a different way."  
  
"What do you need us to do?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"Lure the Twins out of the restaurant."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Aren't they usually there during the day with the Merovingian?"  
  
"I see."  
  
"Okay." Trinity said. "How are we going to execute this?"  
  
"Basically, the three of you go in, kill the rest of the bodyguards and make sure the Merovingian doesn't escape."  
  
"Why don't we kill the Merovingian as well?"  
  
"If you kill him, the Matrix will become unstable and goodness knows what might happen."  
  
"What exactly did you mean when you said 'kill the rest of the bodyguards and make sure the Merovingian doesn't escape'?"  
  
"Elaboration: We only want the Twins out. Not the rest. Go in through the reception as per-normal. Once inside, lock and seal the doors. We do not want any panicking patrons to disrupt our plans. Eliminate all the henchmen apart from the Twins. The Merovingian will have no choice but to send them after you. Escape through the back door and lock that as well." Omega explained. She tapped the control panel in the middle of the table they were gathered around. A holographic map of the chateau sprang up.  
  
"You'll exit here with the Twins coming after you." Alpha said as she defined their escape route on the map. "Take the first left turning and go straight until you see the elevators on your right. Opposite the elevators and slightly farther up is another corridor where we will be waiting. Continue past us. The turns here and there will force the Twins to follow you on the same level. They'll lose you if they go through the floor. When they reach us, we'll launch our attack. You all will take the third right turn after the elevators and get out of the building by the stairs. Got that?"  
  
"Sounds good." Trinity nodded.  
  
"Should work." Morpheus said.  
  
"Will work." Alpha smiled certainly.  
  
"When are we going to do it?" Neo asked.  
  
"If we are to get it done, it might as well be today." Omega reasoned while checking her weapons.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
~ @ ~ @ ~  
  
"Everybody clear on what to do? No questions?"  
  
"No." answered Neo and Trinity simultaneously. Morpheus stood looking thoughtful.  
  
"I have a question."  
  
"Always the doubting one." Omega muttered.  
  
"What if something goes wrong?"  
  
Alpha had to restrain herself from swearing. Didn't he trust them? Had they not been created to get rid of the Twins? A program always performed its main function the best and often without any faults at all.  
  
"Nothing will go wrong."  
  
"There's always a possibility that something could."  
  
"Never mind Morpheus." Neo quickly said, sensing Alpha's frustration. "We have to go."  
  
'Before she kills you' Neo silently added in his mind. He pulled Morpheus in the direction of the reception area.  
  
"Good luck." Omega said to Neo, Trinity and Morpheus as they began to walk off. "We'll be ready and waiting."  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
(In the restaurant)  
  
Morpheus turned around and used a welding gun to seal the colossal front doors together. Patron started to feel rather uncomfortable, but they were quickly assured by Neo and company that they were in no danger.  
  
Once again, Neo, Trinity and Morpheus walked up to the owner of the restaurant and stood before one of the most dangerous programs in the entire Matrix.  
  
"Merovingian."  
  
"What are you doing here? You have already taken the Keymaker. There is nothing here for you."  
  
"As a matter of fact, there is something that we need."  
  
"Whatever it is, listen carefully. I will only say this once. You are not getting it so you might as well leave." The Merovingian snapped.  
  
"We need it. And we will not leave until we have it."  
  
"You will not need anything apart from a grave stone if you are dead."  
  
His henchmen immediately took the hint and surrounded the trio with their guns drawn out and ready to fire.  
  
"Out. Now."  
  
"You are such a bastard." Trinity said, geared up for some action. She windmill-kicked the trained assassins which circled them, sending about half of them flying and crashing into the countless display shelves of worthless bottles of wine from all over World. Shards of glass cut their throats and slashed them to bits.  
  
People were starting to leave their seats, unsure about whether what was going on could endanger their lives.  
  
Morpheus pulled out his machineguns and shot two of the henchmen, killing both of them instantly. They fell to the ground, splattering blood onto the previously spotless marble around the Merovingian.  
  
All the tables were now vacant. Everyone who was not either fighting or dead was pounding on the sealed door in attempt to get out, but to no avail.  
  
Five down, Neo was taking on the remaining four. He grabbed a chair and smashed it on the ground. Grabbing the splintered pieces he impaled the last ones that they were supposed to kill.  
  
Only the Twins were left now.  
  
"You two," The Merovingian commanded the Twins. "Kill them."  
  
Everything was going according to plan.  
  
Trinity led the way out the back door which no one but they and the Merovingian knew about and sealed it the same way Morpheus had the front door, then Neo took over, leading them closer and closer to where the Duo were going to intercept the Twins.  
  
Morpheus, taking up the rear, glanced over his shoulder. Shit. The Twins weren't following; at least not on the same level. What was going to happen now? He sure damn hoped that the Duo had a backup plan. Hoping for the best, he attempted to direct his mind back to the task at hand which currently was: running.  
  
"Running forwards and looking in the opposite direction is not a good idea, Morpheus." Stated a British accent from in front of Morpheus.  
  
Morpheus stopped moving and found himself facing one of the Twins.  
  
"Thought you could escape us by winding your way through these corridors, didn't you?"  
  
'Are you going to do what we want you to do, albinos? Are you going to follow us? Thinking that you are going to kill us?' Morpheus thought. Part of him felt relived that their plan would be successful, after all. The other half of him was trying to figure out a way to get past the Twin- now both twins, as the other rose up through the floor- and rejoin Neo and Trinity.  
  
He rammed his elbow into the wall as hard as he could and shattered a few of the tiles. As the jagged edged pieces began to fall, he caught the biggest shard there was and flung it at the Twins in an outwards throw. The Twins had no other option but to phase. Morpheus charged through them as if they were non-existent and ran to catch up with his mission partners.  
  
Undaunted, the Twins phased back to normal and ran down the long hallway after the three exiles.  
  
Neo, Trinity and Morpheus had already taken the first left turn and they could see the elevators up ahead.  
  
Now they were at the elevators.  
  
Now they were passing the Duo.  
  
Alpha and Omega whipped out their weapons. They could hear the Twins approaching. Nearer, nearer...  
  
'Now.' Alpha signaled. They leapt out from behind the corner and knocked the Twins to the ground, holding daggers against their throats.  
  
"Who are you, little girls?" the Twins mockingly asked their attackers. Two teenagers with daggers and whose suits slightly resembled Trinity's? What could they do? The Twins always thought of outside people this way: useless, pathetic, easy to kill; but underestimating the Duo was something no one should ever do. Unfortunately, the Twins didn't know that.  
  
They phased and stood up, expecting the identical girls to freak and run away screaming. Instead, the Duo did the one thing that the Twins had always thought impossible. The girls transed and shifted into the same ghostly state that the Twins were in.  
  
"What the Hell?" the Twins gaped.  
  
While they were still in a state of shock, Alpha and Omega ran forwards and delivered a power-packed punch to the Twins' guts. Doubled over in pain, the Twins realized that the Duo was more than what they had ever expected of anyone, and that they would have to give this first- and hopefully last- fight all they had, in order to quickly rid themselves of these new enemies. These threats to both their reputations and futures.  
  
They whipped out their switchblades and flung them at the two forms of darkness. If the Duo had been in the same form as the blades, they would have gotten hurt, but they transed and returned to their other state, so the only thing the 'untouchable' blades did was pass right though them. Alpha and Omega looked behind them. Two pearl-handled switchblades were stuck three inches into the solid black jade wall.  
  
The Twins didn't need any real weapons to dispose of these adversaries. Aggression and malice flowed through their coding.  
  
Agreeing on the same move, the Twins moved forwards and in one quick fluid motion they had locked Alpha and Omega's heads in a painful position; twisted, over ninety degrees to the side. That alone would have killed most people, but the Duo had come prepared for this sort of fight.  
  
Ignoring the dull pain in their necks as a result of the head lock they were in, Alpha and Omega worked their arms between the Twins' and pushed the albinos off balance, but the Twins swiftly counter-attacked by shoving the girls up against the wall by their necks, not in the least minding the spiked leather bands, leaving them to choke to death.  
  
The Twins had come to realize that as long as they were in the same state as the Duo, Alpha and Omega wouldn't be able to avoid any of their attacks by transing.  
  
'Time to use our weapons, sis.'  
  
'After you.'  
  
One moment the Twins had the upper hand and the next, either daggers were lodged between their shoulder blades from behind, or multiple blades connected by a chain were digging into their necks.  
  
They staggered backwards, their clothes now a mess of white and red.  
  
Quickly, the Duo attacked them at the throat with a Y hand strike, before creating deep gashes in the side of the face using the curved blades which they had on the outer arm.  
  
Satisfied, the identical sisters transed and disappeared through the wall, leaving the Twins stunned and alone in the hallway.  
  
~ @ ~ * ~  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"Well enough. We can get rid of them the next time we meet."  
  
Neo had a confused, worried and yet somehow a calm expression on his face.  
  
"What's the matter Neo?"  
  
"It seems . . . strange that the end of the war has suddenly become so much nearer after the creation of you two. I mean, was the solution there all along? Is it really all so simple? Just two more people- well, programs actually- and everything . . . may be over soon?" Neo voiced his thoughts.  
  
"I agree Neo. It does seem strange." Morpheus said. "But most things don't happen as we expect or plan them to."  
  
Neo nodded. "So when are you planning on meeting up with them again?"  
  
"The sooner the better-"  
  
"-And we don't want to give them too much time to recover from the shock we've given them-"  
  
"-so if we are to do it, it should be tomorrow. . ."  
  
". . . and if is going to be tomorrow, it could have been today. . ."  
  
". . . and if it was today, it also could have happened yesterday. . ."  
  
". . . In which case our purpose is fulfilled and Neo is one step closer to defeating the Matrix."  
  
"Tomorrow, they will die."  
  
- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . -  
  
No humor for this chapter . . . not even the slightest bit of it . . . and I don't think there will be any in the next one either. But it will come.  
  
And you know, I'm really, really, REALLY getting caught up with my story and even though I am far from finishing this fic, I'm already done planning the prologue and sequel.  
  
Prologue = Bridge from Revolutions to this: Why Neo, Trinity and Morpheus are back in the scene; why Smith had to be re-deleted; why everything is the same as before. . .  
  
Sequel = Yes, the Matrix was defeated in Revolutions, and was rebuilt very quickly after, and also a positive answer to the question if Neo got the upper hand over the newest Matrix in 'The Twins Meets Their Match: The Duo'. In this sequel, the Matrix cyber world is reconstructing itself again, even though in the real world the Sentinels/squddies etc are all gone and the Earth is beginning to repopulate. How? Wait, read, and find out. . . 


	4. Unintended

Unintended  
  
  
  
"Let's move it."  
  
"Right behind you."  
  
Trinity got on her shiny black motorbike with intricate white streaks down the front fender. Alpha balanced herself in the pillion seat.  
  
"Good luck." Neo.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"So I'm here without Alpha because?" Omega asked Morpheus.  
  
"The Twins have been searching for you both since yesterday until a few hours ago. Now they've split up and taken separate routes to all the possible and likely places you may be. One is going on the freeway. Two will be searching around this district."  
  
"This isn't going to be like yesterday's fight, is it? They both have cars for this?"  
  
"Yes. Take care."  
  
"Get Link to send in a bike."  
  
"All right. Do your best."  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
As Trinity and Alpha pulled away from the parking lot, Neo launched into the air and flew back to where he arranged to meet Morpheus, praying for the safety of the three gals. . .  
  
. . . 'Don't worry Neo. Today will be the day they return to the Source.'. . .  
  
"I certainly hope so, but don't go along with them." He softly said to himself, in response to what Alpha had said earlier.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Thanks Link." Omega said, watching a curtain of code flow down and leave a motorbike in its place. She leaped onto the bike and headed towards where she had just seen a silver Cadillac go by.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Why so quiet, Alpha?" Trinity asked. From what she could see in the mirror, Alpha had her eyes shut, her brow furrowed.  
  
Only a few minutes later when Alpha had roused herself from her trancelike silence did she say the first thing in the last half hour.  
  
"Just preparing myself. Not that I'm nervous, mind you."  
  
"Then what are you thinking about?"  
  
"When we get to the freeway, keep your bike one lane away but in line with his car."  
  
"His?"  
  
"Two has gone off somewhere else where Omega with do her fair share of the work."  
  
"Got it."  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Cutter; Kris; daggers; switchblade; razor. All set and ready to go." Omega revised while going through her storage. She could see the silver car not far up ahead. "This is going to be a cinch. . ."  
  
She followed the car around a corner and out to a relatively quiet two-way, totaled eight lane road. Increasing her speed she was soon directly behind the virus who had originally been searching for her.  
  
"Hey albino!" she called out, making sure that Two knew she was there.  
  
Two turned. "You. . ." he hissed.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Stupid." One grinned to himself, seeing Alpha on the bike behind Trinity glaring at him. "Amazingly stupid. Don't you think that I'd be more on my guard this time?"  
  
Perfectly balanced, Alpha stood up in- on the seat, about to jump.  
  
"So that's the way you want to do it." One slammed down on the auto pilot button before proceeding to open the sun-roof and climb out onto the top.  
  
"You're so predictable." Alpha snickered.  
  
One leaped at her with perfect aim and precision, but halfway through his jump, Alpha, working momentum to her advantage, leaped sideways and knocked him back in the direction he had come from.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Omega 'led' the way to an abandoned construction site and quickly dismounted her bike. The Cadillac pulled up seconds later and she saw Two phase out of the car, machine gun held in an upright position.  
  
Taking aim, Two was about to pull the trigger, when a thought hit him.  
  
"Can't be this simple, can it?" he muttered. Caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Omega disappear from where he just had her at gunpoint, and reappear behind him.  
  
She reached over and under the arm holding the gun and yanked her elbow back, snapping his shoulder into a torturous position. The gun went flying out of his hand and clattered to the ground a few meters away.  
  
"I knew it."  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Landing on the road shoulder, One managed to pin Alpha down after a brief struggle. She gave him a 'is that the best you can do?' look. Before One had a chance to do anything else, Alpha drew her knees up to her chest and kicked him off her. He went crashing through the barrier and down to the riverside dock more than forty feet below.  
  
A part of the shadow cast by a pillar One landed next to broke off and materialized. "I hope you haven't given up yet."  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Lemme see what you can do." Omega invited.  
  
Two gave her a nonchalant half-nod, half-shrug in return.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Omega flung the cutter at him. It spun open, fanning out its lethal blades. Dodging left, Two barely managed to avoid being sliced in half.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Do we look like we're a program which would give up so easily?"  
  
"In that case, let's bring this up a level, shall we?" Alpha said with a fake smile.  
  
"Whatever. As long as you end up dead, we don't care."  
  
"Wonderful. So now, the rule is: no phasing or transing."  
  
This surprised One a bit, but his ego wouldn't allow him to decline the challenge.  
  
"Yes or no? The only problem is that you might end up dead, while I survive the whole experience."  
  
They both phased/ transed once more to heal. After that came the fight where they were just as vulnerable as any other human.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Two attacked Omega with double side kick then with a punch to the side of her face, sending her flying into and through a rough, ivy-covered door.  
  
He came at her again, but she lithely jumped up and ran along the dusty walls, retrieving her cutter on along the way.  
  
Holding the jagged disc, she propelled herself off the wall and at Two, transing in mid-air. She became invisible. Two lost sight of her. The next thing he knew, Omega had transed back to normal when the cutter was in the middle of his gut and she had swung around using the cutter as a hinge.  
  
He phased. She transed along with him. Phase back to normal. Omega followed suit.  
  
Never had he not been able to phase to get out of something like this. Never.  
  
He remained still for awhile, his mind unable to grasp the possible reality that this really was the end for him.  
  
It couldn't be . . . it couldn't be . . . not so soon. . .  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something lying in a shaft of light. His gun.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Alpha and One charged each other and erupted in a series of kicks, punches and throws. Even without phasing or transing, their stamina was unbelievable. They kept up the fight without any weapons for a solid half hour, until they began to get bored.  
  
Alpha got out her ninja stars and threw them at One, who didn't notice them heading for him, and was soon pinned to a wooden fence by his trench coat sleeves and sides.  
  
"No transing." One reminded Alpha.  
  
"I didn't trans. Not materializing things wasn't part of the deal." She retorted. "And you better remember what we agreed on."  
  
One yanked his arms away from the ninja stars, shredding his coat. Never mind. He could fix that when Alpha had been disposed of.  
  
"Stay where you are." Alpha said. "I'm not finished yet."  
  
Running towards One who was just about to free himself, she fixed him into a crucifixion position by impaling his arms back to the fence with her daggers.  
  
Then, as she exaggeratedly swaggered to and fro in front of One, taunting and making fun of him, she removed her spike studded neck band and held it up, dangerously gleaming in the sunlight.  
  
"This looks so nice on me." She said. "And it's comfortable too. But I doubt it would be if I wore it inside out. Since I'm not about to put my life in danger just for the sake of trying something as stupid as wearing this with the studs on the inside. . ."she stopped pacing and stood glaring at One. ". . . why don't you try it first?"  
  
Smiling, she pressed the spiked side of the leather strip against One's exposed throat.  
  
His blood poured down his front in a plentiful stream. His breathing became short. His vision began to get hazy. As a last resort, he phased.  
  
"Cheater!" Alpha yelled, the word of anger and hatred coming from a vague shadow. Using one hand she held down the strip, using the sharp metal nails on the other she clawed at the back and base of his neck, willing him to remember his last moments as ones of sheer agony.  
  
Nobody to help him, no where to run. . .  
  
Movements he saw around him were getting slower . . . slower . . . darker. . .  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Summoning up what was left of his strength, he dragged himself towards the last thing that could save him, despite Omega holding him back. At last . . . got it. Pushing aside the increasing pain searing throughout his entire body, he weakly aimed the gun at Omega's head.  
  
Left with no other option, she transed, taking the cutter with her.  
  
Two phased and healed. Vitality restored, he threw his switchblade at her. Immediately when she leaped to the side to avoid his throw, he pulled the trigger on his gun.  
  
The first few bullets grazed her shoulder. But then, contrary to her attacker's expectations, she side swept the oncoming bullets and neatly caught them all in her right hand. With an amazing display of strength she quickly molded the metal bits into a sleek boomerang. She flung it outwards at Two. He got hit on the temple and his shades got knocked off.  
  
Glancing up in shock at Omega, he made the mistake of staring at her directly in the eye. Their gazes locked. For the brief moment which seemed to stretch into an eternity, neither of them could move.  
  
Omega was the first to break the silence. "No. . . no. . ." she whispered. "It can't be . . . how could it . . .?"  
  
Looking away, Omega opened a mental conversation with her twin.  
  
'Alpha. . .'  
  
'I'm busy. Almost done.'  
  
'No! Don't. . . don't kill him. . .'  
  
'What in the blazes are you saying?!'  
  
'Don't kill him. Leave now. We need to contact Neo and the rest. . .'  
  
'WHA -'  
  
'Now.'  
  
Omega transed and turned to leave, but Two stopped her. "Wait-" he broke off, as everyone does before they get to know another person slightly better.  
  
"The name's Omega. My sister's Alpha."  
  
"Two. Brother is One."  
  
With a quick nod, Omega vanished.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
One phased back to perfection.  
  
What was that about? He was about to black out, when Alpha had gotten a distant look for a few seconds, then she transed and was gone.  
  
Slowly, while clearing his mind of all the questions and answers that only led to more questions, he phased and started in the direction of the Chateau.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"What is this about?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"I have no idea." Alpha replied in a pissed off tone. "I was happily fighting and about to win, when she suddenly tells me not to kill the twin and that we have to meets up with the three of you."  
  
"Well, Omega?"  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Up here. I do not wish to be seen. . ." Came the troubled reply from the shadow cast by the support beam.  
  
"What did you need to see us for?" Trinity asked gently.  
  
"Don't tell me you're having problems just fulfilling your purpose?"  
  
"I don't think it's that. . ."  
  
"Then what could it be?"  
  
"Maybe it's . . . no. . . that's not right."  
  
"Omega, this better be good."  
  
"What interfered?"  
  
"We had to be sisters didn't we?"  
  
"How-"  
  
"Stop flooding me with questions!" Omega yelled. Everyone fell silent. Even Alpha, whom you could clearly see was on the verge of exploding with rage.  
  
"Trinity?" Omega said softly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You should understand."  
  
"Understand what?"  
  
Omega transed and stood still in one spot, avoiding the looks she was getting from the four other people in the room.  
  
Finally her head lifted.  
  
"Tell me, what was it you felt . . . the first time your eyes met Neo's?" 


	5. Indirect

Whoo! Yeah yeah! Another chapter up! Go girl! Go girl! THIS is where it starts to get exciting! YAY!  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Indirect  
  
* * * * * * _______________________  
  
One's cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and read the latest message.  
  
Meet me in my office  
at 3:00p.m. sharp  
today.  
  
Merovingian.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
"Two, we think we've got another assignment."  
  
"And?"  
  
"We have to meet the Mero in his office at 3 p.m. Today."  
  
"But we haven't had lunch and it's already 2:30." Two complained.  
  
"Well you know the consequences if we don't show up on time."  
  
"Fine, fine." Two grumbled. "We'll go get the car keys."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"What do you think he's up to this time?"  
  
"Don't know. Only one way to find out."  
  
One opened the door to the Merovingian's lavishly furnished office. He and his brother both stepped in- and immediately drew out their guns when they saw-  
  
"Omega! What are you doing here?!"  
  
"Nice of you to be able to tell me and my twin apart. And by the way, what do you mean 'what am I doing here' ?" Omega asked mock innocently. "I asked you to come, and you did."  
  
"We missed our lunch to come and meet someone we don't give a damn about?" Two growled.  
  
"Pretty much yes, but you should have had lunch earlier."  
  
"Where's the Merovingian?" One asked.  
  
"He's gone on holiday."  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"No I'm not. He sent you a message through the phone yesterday to tell you."  
  
"We didn't receive anything at all yesterday."  
  
"I merely said he sent you a message. I didn't say you received it."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I simply transed and intercepted the signal in mid-air."  
  
"Oh great." Two muttered. "And how do we know that we're not in the middle of a trap here?"  
  
Omega cocked her head and smiled.  
  
"Well...it depends..."  
  
"On what?"  
  
"Some say love is a trap while others don't..."  
  
"Did she just say- does she mean-" Two stuttered, his eyes growing large behind his shades.  
  
"Unfortunately, Two, we think she did." One managed to finish saying before both of them passed out on the floor.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
When Two finally regained consciousness and opened his eyes, he found himself lying on his back on a sofa. And Omega was staring at him.  
  
"Yahh! Get away from us!" Two yelled, scrambling to get as far from Omega as possible. To his left he saw One calmly sitting in an armchair.  
  
"One, what are we doing here?" asked Two, trying not to panic.  
  
"Ask her." One replied, nodding towards something behind Two.  
  
Two turned and saw Omega smiling at him.  
  
"Not again."  
  
Omega's expression didn't change.  
  
"Okay," Two said, taking a deep breath. "Why are we here?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Something seemed different to Two; apart from the fact that Omega might be in love with him.  
  
He put his hand to his face. His shades were gone. Two glared at Omega.  
  
"Yes, Two?"  
  
"You took our shades."  
  
"Why, you must be psychic."  
  
"And for what?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much; just wanted to see your beautiful silver eyes."  
  
Two goggled.  
  
"One, she didn't just say what we think she said, right?"  
  
"Afraid she did." One was just as shocked as his brother was.  
  
Just then Alpha walked into the room. Upon seeing the Twins she materialized an assortment of switchblades, razors and daggers, holding them in a throwing position.  
  
"Omega, what are these freaks doing here?" Alpha asked, not looking away from the Twins.  
  
"Alpha put your weapons down. I brought them here."  
  
"You WHAT?!"  
  
"Yes, you heard right. I brought them here."  
  
"Omega! I know you like Two, but this is ridicu-"  
  
"So it is official." One cooed at his brother. "She liiiiiiikes you."  
  
"Shut your damn bloody mouth. No one was talking to you." Alpha hissed.  
  
"Our mouth is not bloody."  
  
"It will be if you don't zip it."  
  
One decided not to push his luck to the limit. Two almost felt grateful to Alpha for successfully making his brother clamp up.  
  
"Can I talk to you in private for a sec, Omega?" Alpha said.  
  
Omega walked to the far end of the room and waited for her sister.  
  
Alpha turned to the Twins and gave them a death glare. "You two stay where you are. Don't try to get out. Even phasing won't work. You already know."  
  
Then she transed, disappeared and materialized next to her twin.  
  
"Omega, have you gone mad?" she hissed.  
  
"No. We've already talked through this with Neo, Trinity and Morpheus. Don't bother trying to make me change my mind. You aren't going to be successful."  
  
"I'm not trying to make you change that stupid mind of yours. I just want you to realize what you're doing. They are our enemy! They are working for the Merovingian, trying to stop Neo from defeating the Matrix!" Alpha was so frustrated with her obstinate twin.  
  
Seeing the Duo deep in conversation, One took advantage of the moment and attempted to escape. He phased. Two warningly glared at him as if to say 'We're in deep shit if we go any farther.'  
  
Unfortunately, Alpha had already sensed One's change though her back was turned.  
  
"Excuse me a moment." Alpha quickly said to Omega.  
  
She transed, glided up to One and grabbed him around the neck. "Don't even think about it." She threatened, her eerie two-toned voice echoing. Shifting her grip down to the collar of his trench coat, she lifted him into the air and flung him back against the armchair. One phase back to normal in mid-air, hoping that he would at least get a cushioned landing on the chair and not a skull shattering one on either on the wall or floor. He felt it would be safer to stay and be safe, rather than to leave and have Alpha come after him.  
  
Two shot an 'We tried to warn us!' look at One. One shrugged.  
  
'We told you we'd get into trouble.' Two thought to his twin.  
  
'We know, we know.' One thought back.  
  
'Scared of her?'  
  
'Um . . . no.'  
  
'Yes we are.'  
  
'We am so damn not.'  
  
'Liar.'  
  
'Would we shut up?'  
  
'See? We are scared of her. Admit it.'  
  
'Fine. But we admit that we love Omega first.'  
  
'We do not love her! We hate her! We hate them!'  
  
'Then why didn't we try getting out of here just now like we did?'  
  
'Well we saw what Alpha did to us. And that was just a warning.'  
  
'Never mind. Just zip it. End of conversation.'  
  
They both gave each other looks of annoyance before folding their arms across their chests and looking in the opposite direction thinking 'Idiot'.  
  
Meanwhile, the Duo were also quarrelling with each other.  
  
"Have you realized that if the Matrix collapses, SO DO WE?!" Omega screamed.  
  
"I know that!" Alpha yelled back. "But we have to help Neo!"  
  
"I don't CARE! Why do we?!"  
  
"We were programmed to help him! Defeat the Twins! The Merovingian!"  
  
"Well I ain't gonna defeat anyone! Lest the Twins."  
  
"You bitch."  
  
"Now you've stepped on my last nerve. You are so DEAD!"  
  
Omega did a back flip and kicked her sister squarely in the lower jaw. The impact sent Alpha flying into the wall. She sat there, dazed, for a while. Putting her hand up to her mouth she found she was bleeding.  
  
"Omega! You are gonna get it!"  
  
"Bring it on."  
  
They both transed at the same time, followed the shadows on the walls up to the ceiling where they changed back to normal, falling while trying to throttle each other.  
  
"Hey bro. Check this out." Two nodded towards the fight scene. One directed his gaze from out the window to the other end of the room.  
  
"Cool."  
  
The Duo were using everything they had to fight. Ninja stars were stuck in the wall, ceiling, furniture, everywhere, and still more were of them were flying through the air. There were rows of switchblades, daggers and razors lodged into the floor at an angle. Other unexpected weapons were in just about every single unexpected place. Now the Duo were transing through the floor, through the walls, through each other . . . what ever it took to get the other beaten down. Alpha had just managed to get one of the switchblades out of the floor when she heard her sister coming at her from on top and behind. Omega held her daggers pointing downwards, aiming for Alpha's throat. Fortunately, Alpha managed to dodge the daggers. Unfortunately, she collided with her twin anyway.  
  
"Okay. Now they're really distracted. Let's go." One said to Two.  
  
"We're not risking it."  
  
"We love Omega."  
  
"WE DON'T!!!"  
  
And so, the second fight of the day broke out in the very same room.  
  
Alpha and Omega were just about o stab each other when they saw what the Twins were doing. Surprisingly enough, Alpha let them continue their tussle, not really caring about anything inevitable happening. Omega seemed more amused than concerned for Two. The Duo stopped fighting. It was their turn to watch.  
  
The balcony glass doors had already been shattered and the walls, chairs and tabletops were peppered with bullet holes. Empty bullet shells were strewn all over the floor. Alpha and Omega comfortably leaned against a wall and watched the Twins in combat.  
  
One phased, not to escape, but more on side of catching his brother off guard. He did it so well that Two who was used to playing that trick on others, didn't notice his brother phase up through the floor behind him. Only when One phased back to normal did Two become aware of what One was doing. He spun around and tried to shoot One, but it was too late. One pulled the trigger first. Two didn't phase fast enough and the force of the bullets leaving the gun's multiple barrels and hitting him in the shoulder sent him sprawling.  
  
"Two!" Omega screamed. "Condemn you to Hell, One!"  
  
"He'll be okay. He can phase, remember?" Alpha said with a half sigh.  
  
"Well he can't phase if he's unconscious, dummy."  
  
Two lay on the floor, out cold, blood-stained sleeve in shreds.  
  
"If he bleeds to death, I swear I will not spare you." Omega growled at One.  
  
"If our dear brother dies, we die anyway. Either because we share one mind and we can't survive without the other half, or the Merovingian's going to send us back to the source as punishment." One reasoned.  
  
"Good."  
  
"So we'll make sure he won't die."  
  
"Good."  
  
"So now let's get him off the floor."  
  
"Somewhere more comfortable."  
  
"Make sure he doesn't lose anymore blood."  
  
Alpha and One got Two lying on Omega's bed. You could plainly see she was worried and almost apprehensive.  
  
"Omega, he'll be fine! He'll be fine! Stop this ridiculous behavior." Alpha glared at her twin.  
  
"How'd he get his shades back?" Omega asked as she walked over to where Two was lying.  
  
"He phased."  
  
Checking her storage, Omega found that by phasing, Two had retrieved from her what she had taken. "I see."  
  
Omega looked down at Two. He woke up.  
  
"You . . . okay?"  
  
"We will be if you get away from us."  
  
She walked over to Alpha. Two stood up and phased.  
  
"Good. Now can we go?" One impatiently asked.  
  
The Duo exchanged glances.  
  
"Yeah. And make sure you bastards keep out of my way for a long, long time."  
  
"Guys? I- she didn't mean that. . ."  
  
"Yes I did."  
  
"You couldn't have. Not if you want to have another fight with them soon."  
  
"Right. So now you're calmly telling me you want us to fight them."  
  
"You. Not us."  
  
"Alright. So you actually want me to kill them for you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"THEN WHAT?!"  
  
"Figure it out yourself, idiot."  
  
Suddenly aware the Twins were still standing in the doorway and watching their conversation with some interest, Alpha whipped around and yelled "GET OUT OF HERE YOU FUCKERS!"  
  
The Twins hurriedly left.  
  
"Hey. They forgot their guns."  
  
"Still got ammo."  
  
"Try them out?"  
  
"No way."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Two very good reasons, Omega. Firstly, I do not want to use anything that those freaks have. Secondly, we've already trashed this place enough."  
  
"You're right . . . this place is a mess." Omega agreed, looking around. The room was an awesome sight to behold. Not one square-foot of space had been some kind of destruction of other.  
  
"Right. Let's get back our stuff." 


	6. Kiss and Confess

Kiss and Confess  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
(Note: Farther down the text marked by { } are the chorus lines of Can't Fight the Moonlight.)  
  
. + . + . + . + . + . + .  
  
"Sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"Double-checked?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Confirmed?"  
  
"Stop. It. Why are you so paranoid? I went through the same thing."  
  
"I had it worse."  
  
"Fine. Whatever you say. Now shut up."  
  
There was silence for awhile, and then Two asked again, "You sure it wasn't Omega who sent that message?"  
  
"I CHECKED! I called the Merovingian to confirm and he almost deleted me for 'doubting' him! And now we'd better be at his office in five minutes or we're both in deep shit." One was already out the door when his cell phone buzzed again. "Now what?" he muttered, pulling out his phone. He tapped the place on the screen where a small digital envelope was flashing.  
  
~Meeting postponed to 11: 00 p.m. Meet at Central Park. Do not call me.  
  
The Merovingian ~  
  
"What's the update?" Two impatiently asked. "And why do all the messages go to you?"  
  
"Because I am the supposedly older one and therefore more reliable. He trusts me more." One smirked.  
  
"Shut it."  
  
"You did ask why."  
  
"PASS ME THE PHONE!"  
  
"Fine fine fine. Take it." One lobbed the cell phone at Two who snatched it out of mid-air. Having found out what he wanted to know, Two looked at his brother. "We have the rest of the day to ourselves. What do you want to do?"  
  
One slumped down on the sofa. "There is nothing to do."  
  
"Lack of stimulation. That's always the case." Two seated himself next to his twin and before long they had both dozed off.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Oh bloody Hell." Two cursed. He shook his brother. "One, wake up. We're going to be late."  
  
When One didn't reply, Two resorted to kicking him full in the *****. One, of course, immediately jolted awake. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!" he yelled.  
  
"You were too busy dreaming to realize that we've got less than four minutes before we are deleted." Two replied.  
  
One quickly glanced at the silver rectangular digital clock on the wall. It displayed 10:57. "Good Lord. Let's go." He phased through the door, also to rid himself of the Two had inflicted upon him. "I'm driving."  
  
"Says you."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Like Hell."  
  
"It's 10:58."  
  
"ALRIGHT!"  
  
~ @ ~  
  
The Twins stood at the north end of the park which had thick foliage growing all the way up to and over the fence running along the perimeter of the park property. The full moon shone bright in the cloudless sky and illuminated everything within range to such an extent that the Twins blended in with their surroundings without even trying.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Not like him to be late."  
  
"And you were so desperate to wake me up." One accusingly glared at his almost invisible twin.  
  
"And IF he was on time and we were late?" Two shot back.  
  
One couldn't think of anything he could say to continue the argument, so he scanned the park grounds for any signs of the Merovingian. He saw something whip past in the trees. He brushed it off as a temporary glitch in his coding, but apparently Two had seen it as well.  
  
"One, I have a very strong feeling that the second message was sent by Omega. . ." Two's voice said, his voice actually shaking. Something else not previously heard of in virus programming.  
  
"How? How would she have known to change the meeting time? And since the first message was sent by The Merovingian, if what you're saying is true, we should be back at the source right now for not showing up at his office this afternoon."  
  
"She has the ability to intercept these kinds of signals, remember? And she must have done something to stop The Merovingian from meeting us earlier."  
  
"God . . ."  
  
As they briefly ran over the odds and possibilities of Omega having done all that Two had said she might have, Two's shadow began rising up from the floor and stopped when it reached his height.  
  
{You can try to resist}  
  
"OMEG-" Two gasped as it materialized, becoming someone anything but unfamiliar to the Twins.  
  
{Try to hide from my kiss}  
  
He was cut off as Omega grabbed the front of his coat and pulled him towards her in a passionate kiss.  
  
{But you know, but you know}  
  
He tried to pull away, but she wrapped her arms around him, refusing to let go.  
  
{That you can't fight the moonlight}  
  
One stood frozen, riveted, unsure of what to do, knowing very well what Omega could and probably would do when aggravated.  
  
{Deep in the dark}  
  
'Get her away from me, you imbecile!' Two yelled at One in his mind.  
  
{You'll surrender your heart}  
  
Omega embraced him tighter than ever, one hand playing up and down the open part of his coat. This was paradise for her. This was Heaven.  
  
{But you know, but you know}  
  
She had gotten lost in a place where grief, anger, hatred, war and fear were non-existent; time and space were irrelevant; the only feeling there was to feel was love.  
  
{That you can't fight the moonlight}  
  
One finally got over his shock and lunged for Omega,  
  
{No, you can't fight it}  
  
but before he reached her, she released Two, had a last look at him, then transed and vanished into the silence of the night.  
  
{It's gonna get to your heart} . . .  
  
Two stumbled back against a lamp post, gasping for breath. His emotions were in a maelstrom. He had always said he hated, detested both Alpha and Omega, and in truth, but now he felt something he never even thought he would think impossible for him to feel. He was at the doorway to Omega's dimension, the place where she would grant only him admission to. "How is this happening . . .?" he choked out in a hoarse whisper. Soon after, he lost consciousness.  
  
~ @ ~  
  
Two looked up at the ceiling. No Omega? Good.  
  
"So you're finally up. Tell me, why is it you do faint so easily?" One asked. The television was on and One was sitting, looking over the back of the plush leather sofa at Two. Two leapt up.  
  
"Do you know what it's like to be kissed? On the MOUTH?!"  
  
One grimaced. "No. And I have not any intention to find out."  
  
"So isn't that reason enough as to why I collapsed?"  
  
"You could have killed her then. She wouldn't have noticed."  
  
"I- I couldn't. . ." Two weakly said.  
  
"What do you mean you couldn't?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"You couldn't or. . . " One gave his Twin a strange look. ". . . or you wouldn't?"  
  
"I think he couldn't because he wouldn't."  
  
Two whipped around. "OH SHIT! NOT YOU!"  
  
"Why so afraid? It's just me. I'm no stranger."  
  
"What do you want this time, Omega?" One growled, silently reaching for his razor.  
  
"You know full well what I want." Omega said, flashing a seductive look at Two.  
  
"Goddamn you, you slut." Two hissed, discreetly backing away.  
  
"Why in the name of Lucifer do you like him?"  
  
"I never said I like him."  
  
"Then this is one hell of an act you've been putting on."  
  
"Act? This is no act. If you want me to tell it to you straight, I love him." She said simply, matter-of-factly. As casually as she would have responded to someone asking her for the time.  
  
There was a stunned, disbelieving silence. When the Twins' minds clicked back into working order, Omega wasn't where she had been standing before. She had sidled up to Two and was toying with his dreadlocks without him noticing it. Turning him around to face her, she draped her arms over his shoulders. "You're more vulnerable than I thought you were. I love you."  
  
Two stumbled backwards out of her loose grasp. "Get out of here." He said. "Now." He was clearly shaken up. For quite awhile now he had suspected that she liked him, but to actually hear it from her, openly, truthfully. . . He grabbed his brother for support.  
  
"Don't you pass out again." One said.  
  
"Then get her out of here before I do." Two weakly replied, his voice quavering slightly.  
  
"Don't worry. I know my way out." Omega grinned. "See ya, lover boy." She winked at Two before transing through the front door.  
  
"LOVERBOY?!"  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Omega floated happily down the dark, empty street, a million thoughts flooding her head. Then she came upon a disturbing one. A thought which she had already put at ease had surfaced again. What is happening to me? Not long ago her heart would be filled with hate and her mind fixed on morbidly mutilating the Twins before she killed them. Now it was entirely the opposite. Alpha still held those views. Why only herself? Morpheus had been right. She was having difficulty fulfilling her purpose. She waved the question away as she had always done.  
  
Her mind flashed back to the events of the past few hours. She had never been that open about her feeling before. Not even with Alpha, even though they could easily pry into each other's thoughts, but ever since the second meeting she had with the Twins which had evoked this strange, alien feeling which now so often plagued her, she had always guarded her emotions and thoughts about very closely. She always had a barrier surrounding that part of her mind, and always consciously kept the barrier up. But now she was distracted. The barrier dropped. And she didn't realize it.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Alpha, back home, was suddenly hit by a wave of thoughts. What was that? Oh. Nothing much. Just Omega opening up her conscience a little more to her.  
  
A picture flashed before her. Then another. And another. Scenes played themselves out before her eyes and they seemed vivid enough to reach out and touch. Then one scene in particular caught her attention. The Twins. She leaned forwards to have a closer look and felt herself being sucked into this movie. Then a flash of obliviation. Then she was standing there with the Twins. And Omega. She was like a ghost. A mere conscience, an existence without a physical being, unseen by the other three characters. She could see Two from the back view being grabbed by Omega, but no, she wasn't trying to kill him. She had him in her control with her mouth to his. Oh, he wasn't willing, but she was. Alpha spat in fury. The traitor!  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
What? How did Alpha get in? She had just been thinking about the meeting at the park when Alpha appeared in her thoughts out of nowhere. She could almost see Alpha standing right there in front of her, a silhouette in the swirling mist. She seemed to be coming closer. She could almost see her accusing eyes. She could almost hear Alpha saying something. She could read Alpha's lips. "How dare you! You've been ordered to keep away from them! Ridding Neo of them has now become my responsibility! How could you turn right around and do this?" Her voice was getting louder and louder.  
  
Hallucinations. Omega tried to think of other things that were not associated with Alpha or the Twins. Alpha still stood there yelling at her.  
  
"You're not my conscience, Alpha." Omega muttered to herself. Then she suddenly felt a sharp, searing pain across her face. Then again in the opposite direction. "What the-"  
  
"Omega, snap out of it!" she heard Alpha bellow. "Stop ignoring me. You say something right now, you hear me?" Not a hallucination. She was in big trouble, and she knew it.  
  
"Don't try and cover up! I know what happened! You should be deleted! You're a liability! You will be the breach they need to overcome Neo!"  
  
"No I won't. I know what I'm doing." Omega answered with a voice to match her blank, distant expression.  
  
Enraged by her sister's stupid, unthinking response, Alpha struck Omega across the face once again. "You have forgotten what you were meant for!" she screamed. "You keep away from the Twins! You have failed in you purpose. But not I. I shall succeed. But in order for me to do that, you need to stay out of this, sister!"  
  
"No! YOU stay out of this!" Omega screamed back. "This is my choice! My life! You aren't about to run my life for me!"  
  
"But that choice affects everything else! You stop all this trash right here, right now. Promise me that. You keep away from them. They are now my business."  
  
"Fine. But you promise me something else. Promise not to lay a finger on Two. Promise me that you will not even touch him."  
  
Alpha hissed at this; but vowed all the same that no, she would not touch him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`  
  
Hell. That was short. But I guess it was needed.  
  
I don't really want to interrupt, but I have to tell you, this story didn't form from any old idea. I wrote it because as you know, stories give you the chance to do what you can't in real life. So, who is Omega supposed to be? Me. Hee. But I'm not a flirt. You'll see that Omega isn't either in the later chapters. 


	7. Return the Love

Return the Love

The early morning sun streamed through the window. Omega lay on her bed, eyes closed, still in that phase before you fully wake up and the world around you is just a mess of noises. She could vaguely feel someone gently brushing the few out-of-place strands of hair away from her face. It felt quite nice, actually, but when you're half asleep, you just don't want to be bothered. "Stop it, Alpha." She mumbled, turning over so that her back faced her sister. All was quiet in the room apart from her own breathing and the soothing hum of the air-conditioner motor. Alpha didn't seem to have heard. She just kept stroking, neatening up Omega's ruffled hair. "Alpha . . ." Omega said again, this time with a slight note of annoyance in her voice. She gave up and just lay there, slowly taking in her surroundings, letting her eyes adjust to the light.

Her senses were not yet fully awake, but awake enough to tell her that this wasn't Alpha by her bed side. She sat up, ignoring the sudden rush of blood up to her head, making the whole room spin. She looked to her left. "What in the name of-" she almost yelled out. Then she lowered her voice. "Why are you here?" She glared at the albino twin crouching by her bedside. "Leave now. How dare you intrude like this! Did you come here thinking you might have even the slightest chance of ridding your pathetic life of me?" Her voice was growing louder and louder with each word that departed from her lips. "It's already been predetermined that that isn't going to happen. Too complicated for your insignificant mind to comprehend?"

"No. About yesterday-" Two barely managed to begin.

"Ohhh. Yesterday? What happened?" Omega scorned. "Oh yes. Now I remember. You back here to taunt? Go ahead. Give it your best shot."

"We-"

"Actually you don't need to. Relationship rejections are all pretty much the same. I don't need you; get out of my life; you've changed; I've found someone better than the idiot you are; I already have someone; you don't excite me anymore . . . they all play on the same note." She nodded her head slightly and gave a big grin.

Two cringed inwardly. Each syllable she pronounced was like an arrow being released full force from the bow. And all the arrows had been aimed at him. Very accurately. "That's not what we came here to say. All we wanted to tell you was-"

Omega was giving him no chance. "Leave! Get out! Depart from the region!" She just about screamed, but making a point to keep her voice just soft enough so as not to wake Alpha, who was sleeping in another room down the hallway.

It was hard for Two to keep his expression impassive as he got up and turned to go. He phased and began to sink down through the carpeted floor.

"No. Wait. Come back," Omega's voice suddenly called after him.

Surprised, Two floated back up into the room and phased back to normal. Omega was out of bed and stood in the middle of the carpeted room with an expression that was hard to read.

"Go on. What is it you wanted to say?"

Two took a deep breath before proceeding. "We don't know what has happened to us, but we thought . . . maybe you weren't _that _bad after all."

Omega didn't move for awhile, but then she slowly nodded and, carefully choosing her words, said, "Thanks for seeing it my way. Carry on."

Easing up a little at this favorable reception, Two continued on. "We thought we'd just try being friends for once. It seems to be no use fighting anyway."

Omega turned her head away to hide the smile that spread across her face. She had to force herself to look serious again before she looked up at Two. "Why the sudden rebellion agains your team, hm? Anyway, let's get out of the house first. Just in case Alpha wakes and finds you here. We don't want that happening." In her hand appeared a small reddish glass bottle. "You stay here. I'll be back soon."

Omega transed through the wall which backed her bed. She floated through a maze of pipes and ended up in Alpha's bedroom.

She crouched down by her sleeping sister's bed and uncapped the bottle. She dripped some of its liquid contents onto her fingertips and let it run down the length of her palm. It burned with a strange coolness. Something like alcohol, but slightly different. She could feel it penetrating her very being.

Omega quickly dabbed it onto the base of Alpha's neck and watched the liquid fade into her skin. Done. Satisfied, Omega transed back into her own room where Two was waiting exactly where she had left him. "What was that?" he asked.

Omega absorbed the bottle back into her inventory and began to explain. "It's something I created. A temporary bug. I formed it because . . ." she lost her pace. She didn't want to talk about this certain issue, and yet she wanted Two to understand. Omega closed her eyes and concentrated on her argument with Alpha on the street last night. In her mind she cut out a segment of the playing memory video-clip and forced it out of her own conscience and into Two's.

Two smoothly took it in and immediately understood Omega's actions. "How'd you create it so fast?"

"A mixture of determination, spite and intellect. Quite simple. Shall we go now? I mean, there's no big rush. The bug will last for fifteen hours, but might as well make the most of it." Omega said with a small shrug.

"Okay."

Standing next to each other out in the bight morning sunshine, they were a strange and out-of-place pair to see. They certainly were the total opposite of each other. They began walking down the pavement. There was an uneasy silence between them. No one knew what to say in order to get the conversation going, so they just kept walking. Two was the first to break the tension. "Where are we headed?"

Omega looked back at him. "I don't know. I don't know where anything is going nowadays," she answered.

"Maybe we could go somewhere without so many humans around. I don't feel safe."

Omega stopped walking and stared at him. "_You_? Not feeling safe? You could easily kill everyone in this district right now if you wanted to. You don't feel safe? As in, you're _scared_?"

Two returned her stare. "You altered my coding."

Omega swallowed. She was trying to decide weather or not what she had done to Two was good or bad. It seemed good. He was a little more docile now, but did _he_ like it that way?

"Hey," Two's voice shook her from her thoughts. He was already a few more paces down the street.

"Yeah. Yeah. Coming," Omega said as she walked briskly to catch up with him.

"Where are we going?" Two asked again.

"Some rooftop, maybe. No humans there."

Two seemed to be fine with this idea, so Omega led the way to the rooftop of the state's tallest skyscraper.

"Nice view," Two mused.

"You can see past the city limits from up here," Omega said with amusement as she scoped the area.

The sun was still on its rise and there was a slight chill in the morning breeze. Swallows chirped in a monophonic melody as they ducked and glided on the winds. Far below, humans went about their daily live, not knowing of their artificial world, the 'other beings' among them, and the real existence that controlled them. It all seemed so peaceful from up here, unlike the war which only became more fiery with each moment passed.

Omega sidled up to Two. "So . . . whaddaya wanna talk about?"

"Anything you want."

"Right. Could you tell me more about why you suddenly wanted to get along with me?"

Two stared at her from out of the corner of his eye. "I really don't know how to put that into words. I just . . ."

"It's okay. I think I understand." Omega lightly rested a hand on his shoulder. Two nodded. He looked at her, then at the hand on his shoulder. "Why-" Two began.

"-were we made so different?" Omega completed. Two stared at her in amazement for a moment, and then shrugged it off. It was probably the question both of them had on their minds, but didn't quite want to ask it for fear of a negative answer. "I don't know," Omega said. She walked to the edge of the building. "I only know that everything has a reason." She looked down at the maze of streets below or rather, the enslavement world of creation over creator. "Everything, though it may be hard to see how." Omega seated herself on the edge and beckoned for Two to join her. There was a certain tension as he approached her, but she forced it down and willed her breathing to return to normal. Why was she being so edgy? Couldn't they just have a normal, relaxed conversation with each other?

"You know," she opened. "I never thought we actually be in each other's presence doing anything else apart from fighting. I was meant to kill you, not be . . . friends."

"I was supposed to have been rid of you long ago," Two said in a flat tone.

"You've got your facts upside down. _You _are the one who should be back at the source right now," Omega playfully retorted.

Two snarled at this, but you could evidently see that he didn't take it to heart. In fact, his snarl could almost have been a smile. Omega saw this. Good. He was easing up a little.

Omega gazed out into the wide, open sun-lit sapphire sky laid before them and just chatted away to herself, or to anyone else who might want to join her in her one-sided discussion. "What is existence? How is it that I am here, as me, in this body, this place, this time, thinking these thoughts? Why was I created as me? Is it for a certain purpose that I'm am looking with these eyes out into the world from the exact position that I stand? What would happen if I and somebody else were to trade minds; would we even notice the difference? Would we have any recollection of our past existence? And there's the word again: existence. What is it? And why?"

"That would connect to 'Are our every action, choice and thought all just part of a script? Have our futures been already not just plotted out, but predetermined?'" Two continued the train of thought.

"Yeah. You have an answer to any of these questions? I sure would like to hear a solution to this alien word. Existence: Nine simple letters, easy pronunciation and yet it has such a tangle of meanings behind it. You ever got that mess sorted out before?"

"You exist because you are meant to be here, saying what you will say and talking through the definition of existence," Two answered.

Omega laughed. "It goes in circles, but I guess that's as straight forwards as it can get," she said.

"We've been trying to solve this puzzle myself for quite awhile."

"So that's why you could so easily give an answer?"

"Actually no, I've never been able to answer it that way before. This time it suddenly seemed so simple, it almost as if I must have been incredibly blinded to not have groomed over that solution before. Maybe it . . . helps to have somebody to pick apart this web."

Omega gazed at him. "You always been this articulate?"

Two exaggeratedly paused. "No. Not _always_."

"Oh, right. My fault," Omega said. "C'mon, surely not everything was because of me?"

"Actually yes. Everything that's recently happened to me is because of you, to my knowledge," Two replied.

Omega was silent.

"What?"

"But does that sit well with you? I mean, do you like who you've become? You're not the vicious assassin you were. Now you almost seem . . ._ human_," Omega said carefully.

"We're not the only one who's changed," Two said.

"I noticed. Human sounds more like what we are now."

"Programs aren't supposed to feel love."

"No they aren't."

"So why can we?"

"You're the one who knows how to answer these questions."

"This one we can't."

"Looking at how everything has gone, it's all because of me. Saying that this was my doing is a fair enough guess, no?"

"Yes, but how did you change?"

"I'm a hack you know. I'm not a legal program. In a way I'm a virus like you. My coding doesn't follow the usual template. It's more flexible."

"That explains it. A virus affecting a virus."

"That's about it."

"Your coding has partially overridden ours, making it as variable as yours, opening us up to other emotions including love and fear."

"I see no other possibility," Omega said. She slowly leaned over to the side until she was literally leaning on Two. He didn't move, finding himself in an awkward position.

As Omega rested against him, Two could hear her saying something in the tone of voice you would use when you didn't want to say something, but still wanted the other person to know. "Seeing the way Neo and Trinity are in love with each other, I wouldn't say we are like them. They bear a love for each other that I know for a fact I am entirely incapable of feeling. Being a program does have its limits."

"Being limited is not always bad."

"You think?"

"Depends on how you want to weigh the benefits against the losses."

Omega only nodded. She had so much to say, yet for the moment all she wanted was to stay there resting against Two and watching the world below proceed with its hectic schedule. Just one thing was spoiling it all . . .

She lightly grabbed Two around the shoulders from behind and shook him. "Ease up will you? You're as stiff as the Statue of Liberty."

In response Two put his arm around her. "Better?"

"Better."

Omega craned her head to the back and noted something rather significant about their shadows: the closer ends of the shadows were cast relatively far apart, but as they stretched on the eventually drew closer until they merged into one. "Interesting," she said as a warmth flooded her chest.

"What?" Two asked. Omega showed him, to which he judged, "You think you aren't going to meet someone, and then one day you suddenly do."

Omega hugged him in agreement. They whiled away the rest of the day just sitting on the edge of the building, enjoying each other's company.

Finally the sun began to set. It was a marvelous sight as the light sapphire sky backing the city began shifting into a more crimson hue. Omega had seen sunsets before, or at least she thought she had, because she had certainly never witnessed anything like this. Half the sky was washed with an achingly vivid orange-gold. This extraordinary glowing hue was spilled and spread through a network of torn tissue-like clouds that lay horizontally in layers over the horizon. The sky burned more intensely in the spaces between. A lovers' sunset, some called it.

The powerful shades of red and orange gradually ebbed away, leaving a vast expanse of clouded amethyst sky. Regretful that she had to leave, Omega downheartedly reminded her companion that she had to return home, so as not to rouse any suspicions from Alpha. With a quiet "See you soon," from both of them, they parted ways.

Omega transed and floated slowly back home. She silently scorned Alpha. _I've spent a whole fourteen hours with one of the Twins and you still haven't come after me. I can deny the false sense of authority you hold over me. _

Alpha doesn't know . . . Alpha doesn't know . . . That was the subconscious thought the bounced along the sides of the inside of her head.

-

Sure, Alpha didn't know, but returning from the Chateau, an albino assassin had been wondering where his twin was, had happened to see Two and Omega together, and now crouched in the shadows, enraged, and made up his mind that he was going to weed out these two female irritants once and for all.

-

Omega transed into her house and found, as she had expected, that Alpha was still asleep. She casually made herself something to eat and settled down in front of the television, but she was more thinking about her day with Two than focusing on the news cast which rolled on the widescreen set.

-

Two found his house empty. "One?" he called as he strode through the empty rooms in search of his brother. Maybe he had been retained at the Chateau for a few extra hours. No matter, perhaps he might even join him there. He needed to provide an explanation for his absence that day. He phased back out the door.

-

Alpha awakened and felt her mind being released from some kind of bugging grip. _What the heck_? Shewondered hazily. Weird, it was still dark outside. Still night? No, her time check reported to be the next day already. She got out of bed and dressed in full before proceeding down the stairs to the living room. Through the full length glass doors shesaw Omega calmly sitting there in front of the television. She could feel an eerie sense of deception in the room, like something was being hidden from her. She delved down into the programming section she and her sister shared. Omega had her guard up. _Something_ was going on here, and Alpha didn't like it.

-

Omega kept here eyes on the television screen and didn't notice Alpha watching her. She didn't notice that the bugging time had expired and had released Alpha from her slumber. And she definitely wasn't aware of Alpha sneaking out of the house.


End file.
